Share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking was 37.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua is 37.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua peaked at 65.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 37.0%, in 2024.
That places Nicaragua 65th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 65.0% | — |
| 2001 | 64.0% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 63.0% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 62.0% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 61.0% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 60.0% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 59.0% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 58.0% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 58.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 57.0% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 55.0% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 53.0% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 51.0% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 49.0% | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 48.0% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 46.0% | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 45.0% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 44.0% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 43.0% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 42.0% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 39.0% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 38.0% | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 37.0% | -2.6% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 37.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54.5%, 68% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 37.0% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.0%, 7.4× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 61.3% | 58.0% | 65.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.1% | 43.0% | 57.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.4% | 37.0% | 42.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More economy & growth data for Nicaragua
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 73.80 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0037 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 10.67 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.35 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 21.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0687 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 195.53 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 36.36 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua?
- Share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking in Nicaragua was 37.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 65.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.0% in 2024.
- How does Nicaragua rank for share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking?
- Nicaragua ranks 65th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population without access to clean fuels for cooking. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of population without primary reliance on clean fuels and technology is calculated as the number of people unable to use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting divided by total population reporting that any cooking, heating or lighting, expressed as percentage. “Clean” is defined by the emission rate targets and specific fuel recommendations (i.e. against unprocessed coal and kerosene) included in the normative guidance WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: household fuel combustion.